Abstract
The efficient transmission of redox-active electrolyte between redox flow battery (RFB) tanks and their reactors is essential to utilizing charge capacity in grid-scale installations. Emerging redox-active electrolyte chemistries with high viscosity motivate operating RFBs near stoichiometric flow conditions, challenging the utilization of charge capacity due to convective transport limitations. In this work we use numerical simulation to resolve convective transport within RFB tanks that are free-flowing or configured with baffles by solving the laminar vorticity transport equation and transient species diffusion in two dimensions. Dead zones within free-flowing tanks are found to limit capacity utilization, while baffles are shown to enhance capacity utilization by eliminating dead zones for baffles that nearly span the tank. Utilization is maximized at a particular Péclet number, which depends on the effective length and throat of the serpentine flow path produced by baffles. These effects are shown to result from competition between transverse and longitudinal diffusive transport relative to the local flow.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100840 |
| Journal | Journal of Energy Storage |
| Volume | 25 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2019 |
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Keywords
- Convection
- Mixing
- Redox flow battery
- Simulation
- Tanks
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Cite this
Numerical investigation of convective transport in redox flow battery tanks : Using baffles to increase utilization. / Wang, Yite; Smith, Kyle C.
In: Journal of Energy Storage, Vol. 25, 100840, 10.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Numerical investigation of convective transport in redox flow battery tanks
T2 - Using baffles to increase utilization
AU - Wang, Yite
AU - Smith, Kyle C
PY - 2019/10
Y1 - 2019/10
N2 - The efficient transmission of redox-active electrolyte between redox flow battery (RFB) tanks and their reactors is essential to utilizing charge capacity in grid-scale installations. Emerging redox-active electrolyte chemistries with high viscosity motivate operating RFBs near stoichiometric flow conditions, challenging the utilization of charge capacity due to convective transport limitations. In this work we use numerical simulation to resolve convective transport within RFB tanks that are free-flowing or configured with baffles by solving the laminar vorticity transport equation and transient species diffusion in two dimensions. Dead zones within free-flowing tanks are found to limit capacity utilization, while baffles are shown to enhance capacity utilization by eliminating dead zones for baffles that nearly span the tank. Utilization is maximized at a particular Péclet number, which depends on the effective length and throat of the serpentine flow path produced by baffles. These effects are shown to result from competition between transverse and longitudinal diffusive transport relative to the local flow.
AB - The efficient transmission of redox-active electrolyte between redox flow battery (RFB) tanks and their reactors is essential to utilizing charge capacity in grid-scale installations. Emerging redox-active electrolyte chemistries with high viscosity motivate operating RFBs near stoichiometric flow conditions, challenging the utilization of charge capacity due to convective transport limitations. In this work we use numerical simulation to resolve convective transport within RFB tanks that are free-flowing or configured with baffles by solving the laminar vorticity transport equation and transient species diffusion in two dimensions. Dead zones within free-flowing tanks are found to limit capacity utilization, while baffles are shown to enhance capacity utilization by eliminating dead zones for baffles that nearly span the tank. Utilization is maximized at a particular Péclet number, which depends on the effective length and throat of the serpentine flow path produced by baffles. These effects are shown to result from competition between transverse and longitudinal diffusive transport relative to the local flow.
KW - Convection
KW - Mixing
KW - Redox flow battery
KW - Simulation
KW - Tanks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069600035&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85069600035&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.est.2019.100840
DO - 10.1016/j.est.2019.100840
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85069600035
VL - 25
JO - Journal of Energy Storage
JF - Journal of Energy Storage
SN - 2352-152X
M1 - 100840
ER -